Katie is a stinker.

Late last night, I took Katie out on the front porch while I waited for my next door neighbor, Tina, to come visit. I foolishly left her collar off, as I usually do at night so she doesn't get chafed around the neck. Well, wouldn't you know she saw something over by Ellen's garbage cans, and took off after it. Of course, it had to be a skunk. Katie chased that poor animal all over the yard, into the next yard, into their backyard, then even further down the street. All along the way, she kept getting sprayed. I could smell it. I could hear the skunk spraying her. She even started sneezing, but she just kept going after it. Katie wouldn't come when I called her, and since I didn't keep her on the leash, I couldn't grab her. She moves pretty fast for a 9 year old! Finally, she got tired enough that as she walked by me, still hunting down the skunk, I was able to pick her up and take her home. She spent the night outside, of course.



I took off work to bathe her. Two baths didn't do it, so I called my friend Rick for advice. He suggested tomato juice, which I thought was just an old wive's tale, but he said it works. He also said I could get something at the pet store. I didn't want to use tomato juice, because I was worried that it would stain Katie's coat, so I went to the pet store for something. I applied the solution according to directions, but I was very careful around Katie's eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Since she kept getting sprayed in the face as she chased the skunk, I don't think I was able to get it all off her. She's still got a faint skunky odor. Here, I used the old watering can trick so I could wash off the soap without using the higher pressure hose.


I talked to Charles today. He said Katie did this before, so I guess she didn't learn her lesson then, or now. I learned my lesson though, no more going outside without her collar and leash!